Your Monday Kick Off

Here is everything you need to know about MLS and North American soccer this morning:

Week 32 wraps with Monday matchup in Seattle

Seattle can move clear of the Western playoff line when Houston comes to town for a rare Monday night affair (10:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info). As the international break has already begun, the Sounders are managing a few callups for this one, with Raul Ruidiaz, Gustav Svensson and possibly Nico Lodeiro unavailable. READ MORE | PREVIEW

Almiron hurt in ATL win as RBNY keep Shield pace

Atlanta United stayed on top of the Supporters’ Shield standings with a 2-1 home victory over New England on Saturday afternoon. The win came at a high cost, however, as midfield maestro Miguel Almiron left early with a left leg injury that Five Stripes boss Tata Martino figures will keep him out of their last two regular-season games. READ MORE | RECAP

The New York Red Bulls stayed a point off Atlanta’s pace with a 3-1 win at San Jose on Saturday night, as Bradley Wright-Phillips became the first MLS player to tally 20 goals in three different seasons. RECAP

Reports: Matias Almeyda headed to SJ?

Local blog Quakes Epicenter reports that Matias Almeyda will be named as San Jose’s new coach on Monday. The former Chivas man helmed the club to a 2018 CCL victory that waylaid RBNY and Toronto FC. READ MORE | RECAP

Rooney double rallies D.C.

In Sunday’s lone MLS tilt, D.C. United skipper Wayne Rooney scored twice in the final half-hour to overturn a deficit for a 2-1 home win over Chicago that kept his side within reach of the East’s last playoff slot. Before the game, Fire star Bastian Schweinsteiger rather presciently hailed the impact former Manchester United teammate Rooney is having on the capital crew. READ MORE | RECAP

Important wins for Western contenders

Santiago Mosquera and Victor Ulloa lit the lamp six minutes apart midway through the second half to earn FC Dallas a weather-delayed 2-0 win over visiting Orlando City. The result allowed the Texans to move four points clear atop the West. RECAP

Meanwhile, LAFC moved level on points with second place in the West on the strength of a 3-0 victory at slumping Colorado. Adama Diomande ended a three-month goal drought by scoring twice. RECAP

Sebastian Blanco netted a brace to go with an assist as Portland moved to the brink of clinching their postseason invite with a 4-1 rout of Saturday hosts Real Salt Lake. In his weekend review, Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle remarked that the runaway victory was made possible by Diego Valeri’s ability to find dangerous spaces from which to direct the Timbers attack. READ MORE | RECAP

Rampant Union leapfrog Columbus

On Saturday, Philadelphia rolled to a four-goal halftime lead and never looked back to post a 5-1 demolition of guests Minnesota United FC that lifted the Union to fourth in the East. Fafa Picault notched two goals and an assist as the home side rose to fourth place in the East. PLAYOFF ANALYSIS | RECAP

The Union were able to make that move up because Columbus suffered a 3-0 defeat at Montreal. With Sapher Taider’s goal and two helpers leading the way, the Impact showed they won’t give up the last playoff berth in the East without a fight. RECAP

Galaxy, ‘Caps creep toward playoff line

Thanks to a Johnny Russell dazzler seven minutes from time, Sporting KC escaped Saturday’s contentious duel with the visiting LA Galaxy with a 1-1 share. Despite the late letdown, the visitors still inched within a single point of the West’s final playoff slot. RECAP

Elsewhere, Kei Kamara’s late strike served the dual purpose of securing Vancouver a 2-1 win at Toronto FC, and of knocking the champs out of playoff contention. By snapping a three-match losing slide, the Whitecaps moved within three points of the last playoff spot in the West with a game in hand. RECAP

USMNT camp: McKennie out, Delgado in

The injury bug continued to take a bite out of US national team manager Dave Sarachan’s midfield selection, with Schalke regular Weston McKennie ruled out for upcoming friendlies against Peru and Colombia. Toronto FC’s Marky Delgado was called in as replacement. READ MORE